Lesions form on the brain that causes a variety of difficult symptoms. These symptoms develop over a few days or weeks, and they get progressively worse. Even if a person is diagnosed with wet brain, it may still be very difficult for them to abstain from consuming alcohol.
Korsakoff Psychosis
Thiamine, also known as Vitamin B1, is a nutrient that works in many ways to help the body to function properly. This vitamin helps the body to breakdown molecules of sugar and other particles. And the true number of people who suffer from this disorder may be even higher, as some never seek treatment for it. Korsakoff Psychosis happens after a person has been through Wernicke’s Encephalopathy. Thiamine, also known as Vitamin B1, is important because is essential for carbohydrate metabolism and the normal function of the nervous system. It’s also a cofactor for the production of key enzymes that enable our brain to function properly.
Wet Brain Syndrome
Treatment for Wernicke’s encephalopathy is only effective if a person stops drinking. It’s important to note that thiamine will not improve intellect or memory in wet brain patients. However, doctors may suspect thiamine deficiency or malnutrition based on physical appearance. For example, a person in the Korsakoff’s psychosis stage of wet brain may begin to notice tachycardia or a more rapid heartbeat.
How Wernicke’s Encephalopathy (WE) is Diagnosed
Alcohol is simply seen as a leading cause of wet brain because it is the most common inhibitor of thiamine. Dietary issues or bulimia are relatively rare when compared to alcoholism, and would need to be very severe to lead to wet brain. The first stage is the more important stage to notice because, at this point, no permanent changes have necessarily taken place. In the first stage, the main symptoms that are shown are confusion, loss of coordination, and slight muscular lags. Once you have recognized the symptoms of the wet brain in yourself or someone close to you, it is important to get treatment as soon as possible.
Why Thiamine Deficiency is so Dangerous
- The national organization for rare diseases estimates that anywhere from 1-2 percent of the general US population currently has wet brain.
- Unfortunately, for patients who reach this stage of an alcoholic wet brain, symptoms are irreversible and parts of the brain often begin to die.
- First, a doctor will try to reach a diagnosis by testing an individual’s Vitamin B1 levels and trying to rule out other illnesses.
- Wet brain is known to drastically shorten a person’s life expectancy.
- “Wet brain” is a term used to describe the chronic brain disorder, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome or Korsakoff’s psychosis.
It is not reversible and affects the part of the brain that processes and stores memories. Left untreated, long-term effects like muscle coordination, confusion, and hallucinations can develop. The underlying condition is a thiamine (vitamin B1) deficiency caused by chronic alcohol use, but sometimes malnutrition is also present.
Our evidence-based, 100 percent online program gives you access to expert medical care, anti-craving medications, recovery coaching, and more. A person will need high-dose thiamine injections to help overcome and reverse symptoms, and will sometimes need to be hospitalized. Stage 2 of wet brain is often fatal due to the amount of brain bleeding and brain lesions that have set in. Oftentimes, the brain can no longer continue to operate the organs or the body’s systems will overall shut down. For this exact reason, it’s very hazardous for alcoholics to take in a large number of sweets and foods that have little to no vitamins.
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Heart rate, eye movements, body temperature, and even a person’s walk could all signal a doctor to a possible thiamine deficiency. But in affluent countries like the United States, it is most commonly attributed to alcohol abuse, according to the National Institute https://ecosoberhouse.com/ on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome is a type of dementia or cognitive impairment caused by a deficiency of thiamine, or vitamin B1. However, once the patient enters stage 2, Korsakoff Psychosis, the outlook is less optimistic.
Stage 2: Korsakoff’s Psychosis
If the intervention is successful, individuals are able to regain some of their lost functionality. Left untreated, WKS will prove fatal in an estimated 20% of cases, while approximately 75% of wet brain patients will suffer permanent brain damage. “Wet brain” is a term used to describe the chronic brain disorder, Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome or Korsakoff’s psychosis.
- Wet brain is caused by alcohol’s impact of blocking the body’s ability to absorb thiamine, a key component in making the brain work effectively.
- It’s also a cofactor for the production of key enzymes that enable our brain to function properly.
- Similarly, the symptoms of depression can drive individuals to use alcohol more often in order to cope with the symptoms of depressive disorder.
- Even if it seems like wet brain or alcohol use disorder is insurmountable, there is always hope at the end of the tunnel.
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- In this case, Wernicke syndrome is the initial, acute, shorter phase with more serious symptoms.
- Contact us today to learn more about treatment for alcohol addiction, and how we can help you to regain your health and take back control over your life.
- In severe cases, wet brain can lead to death in about 10–15% of cases.
Interventions may not reverse all brain damage that’s already occurred, but its goal is to restore the flow of CSF and prevent further brain damage. This increased pressure can cause brain swelling, which can damage your brain tissue and lead to some of the functional and cognitive issues that occur due to what is mush brain hydrocephalus. To understand how hydrocephalus develops, it’s important to understand the function of CSF in the brain, how too much can cause adverse effects right across the body, and what can cause hydrocephalus. However, once Korsakoff’s psychosis sets in, the damage is often permanent to some degree.
